International Walk to School Day is on Wednesday, and for those who plan to leave the car at home, the safest walking or biking route has been mapped for each elementary and middle school in the district.

The maps show students and parents the safest route to their neighborhood school and depict where there are crossing guards, all-way stops and traffic signals, as well as the status of the sidewalk. Sidewalks are labeled as either an improved crosswalk, existing sidewalk or missing sidewalk.

The maps were made through the combined effort of the city of Lawrence, the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department and Lawrence Public Schools.

“What we’re encouraging is that parents and families use that route,” said Denise Johnson, the district’s curriculum coordinator for health and wellness.

It’s also a chance for students to put recent lessons into practice. Over the summer, safety lessons for walking to school were developed for various age groups, and physical education teachers in all schools are providing the lessons to students, Johnson said. The lessons include information about basic traffic rules and where to cross streets.

Teachers and school administrators will be walking along the routes on Wednesday morning, as well as outside schools to greet students as they arrive.

“Everybody is trying to embrace this health initiative and encourage students and families to begin walking,” Johnson said.

The maps with the safe routes are available, along with safety tips for walking and biking, at the Lawrence-Douglas County Heath Department website.